Projects
The Vision Statement
To enhance the historic market town of Thame by protecting its past and promoting its future as a vibrant and flourishing centre serving the whole community.
Aims
As part of the action plan a number of long-term aims were agreed as the background against which all projects should be judged. These aims are as follows: -
1. To increase the economic, social and cultural vitality of the town
2. To conserves and promote the towns heritage
3. To improve communications in and around Thame
4. To enhance the towns buildings and approaches
5. To improve social, cultural and recreational facilities for all ages
6. To protect and enhance the towns natural environment
7. To provide suitable living accommodation and environment for the whole community
8. To promote an efficient and sustainable transport system
Review of projects to date:
The following shows what has been achieved with proposed projects and with other ones that have been initiated during the previous two years.
Project 1 - To work with the town, district and county councils to the establish of a new library in Thame
Outcome – Agreement was reached with the County Council to establish a new library in Thame. Three potential sites were evaluated and a preferred site of the Town Hall was chosen. Unfortunately the County’s assessment of the appropriate rent for the building could not be agreed with the Town council (who are the owners) and so this proposal fell through. The site currently occupied by the Pied Pedaller toyshop is owned by the County Council and is currently the proposed site for the new library.
Project 2 - To develop a database of businesses in Thame and its hinterland
Outcome – A full database of all businesses in OX9 has now been established though not all fields have been populated. It contains some 1000 businesses. Keeping it up to date is now going to prove to be a challenge!!
Project 3 - To work with the town and district councils on the implementation and maintenance of closed circuit television in the town centre
Outcome – CCTV has now been installed in the town centre and was switched on in early May 2006. The Town Council is in correspondence with the businesses in the town, who they hope will contribute towards the running costs of the system.
Project 4 - To look at the possibility of establishing a Business Improvement District in Thame
Outcome – A proposal was put forward to SEEDA and SODC for funding the viability stage of the BID process, but SODC were not willing to match fund the project.
Project 5 - To establish a website for the partnership
Outcome – Funding obtained from SODC and the site has been up and running for since last year.
Project 6 - To prepare a partnership newsletter for distribution physically and electronically in Thame
Outcome – A newsletter was distributed in spring 2007 to all households in Thame and the hinterland via the Thame gazette. Included with the newsletter was a Community Needs Survey for completion and return by hand/post or electronically. Funding for this project was granted by SODC.
Project 7 - To look at the feasibility of an internet café/ young peoples drop in centre
Outcome – The Community/Social working group’s initial remit is to review youth provision in the town. At the inaugural meeting a number of projects were identified, one being to support the Youth Centre in Thame with existing projects and to promote its use to a wider group. Funding was secured from OCC Chill-out fund with match from SODC for an Internet room, which has been installed and officially opened as part of the Youth Centre Relaunch on 28 September attended by Boris Johnson.
Youth@The Social proved popular with young people in the town until the venue was withdrawn. A Party night at the Town Hall proved this to be a possible alternative venue for a regular event for young people.
Project 8 - To carry out a feasibility study to locate one or two ‘Colonne Morris’ in the town
Outcome – Project abandoned due to cost.
Project 9 - To prepare a welcome pack for new residents in Thame and distribute to all current residents
Outcome - No progress
Project 10 - To look at how the roundabouts at the main entrances to the town can be made more inviting.
Outcome - Oxfordshire County Council has delegated management of the roundabouts to the district councils. In turn South Oxfordshire District Council decided to bring in a company to manage the roundabouts and to seek sponsorship for them, which is now in place, and the roundabouts are much improved.
Project 11- To produce a leaflet showing the location of shops and consumer orientated businesses in the town
Outcome - Completed as the first project of the Economy Group in September 2005. Some 22,000 have been distributed via the Thame Gazette, volunteers at Thame Show and through local businesses. As the guide is now 2 years old it has been reprinted to include mobile phone technology. The guide was distributed via the Thame gazette as part of the ‘Try Thame First this Christmas’ promotion and is being distributed in holders to all retail outlets. The Town Council have kindly agreed to give space in one of their notice boards in
Project 12 - To adopt and enhance the annual town Christmas event
Outcome - The Economy Group was heavily involved in the 2005 event which, unfortunately, was badly affected by the weather. The advent event in 2006 took place on the first Sunday in December and was successful, although a little early in the season to persuade all shops in the town to open. The 2007 event reverts to Town Council control with a ‘Try Thame First this Christmas’ promotion in the form of an A5 postcard detailing advent events in the town during December, the retail offering together with the new Shopping guide and entertainment in the town on the 8, 15 and 22 December to create atmosphere and encourage shoppers to stay local.
Project 13 - To support the young people’s video project in 2005
Outcome - Project took place in July 2005 with the young people involved producing a video that was played at the town’s “Cinema for All”
Project 14 - To establish a campaign to promote the vitality of the town through its consumer facing businesses
Outcome – “TRY THAME FIRST” was established in the autumn of 2005 and is utilising various methods of promoting the town, the 2007 advent promotion being the most recent.
Project 15 – Establishment of logos for C21 Thame and Try Thame First
Outcome -
Project 16 - To develop a strategy for facilities for the town
Outcome – Through a series of meetings of interested parties it was determined that a major priority for the town was to establish a community facility for the town which provided space for an arts centre, a performance centre, meeting rooms, a drop in centre for young people and a coffee shop. It is also felt that it would be ideal if the library could be housed in the same building. Plans have been submitted to SODC to move the Cattlemarket from its current site, which would be ideal for a Community facility. A working group has been established to progress this project with all interested parties in the town taking part. It has been agreed that C21 should take the lead in this project.
Project 17 – To establish C21 Thame as a not for profit company limited by guarantee to give us better control over our activities and to provide a vehicle for obtaining finance.
Outcome –C21 Thame Limited is now formed, has a bank account and a board of directors
Project 18 – To produce and market a leaflet promoting cycle and walkways.
Outcome - A Thame Walking and Cycling map has been produced and launched at a cycle event on 16 September in Thame; to encourage these forms of transport for both travel to and from places of work/school and recreation. OCC Travel Plans provided funding of £2000 and Thame Town Council £2500 towards printing costs. Lord Williams’s School gave £500 towards the project. The map has been circulated to all Thame schools and copies will be distributed to other locations in Thame in a holder for ease of display. There are two waterproof leaflet holders on the
Project 19 - Undertake a transport needs survey for Thame and surrounding villages; assess the need and co-ordinate parking provision.
Outcome – The Initial remit for the Transport Working group was:
- Undertake a comprehensive appraisal of car parking facilities in the town centre.
- Undertake a survey of users of the car parking facilities available, both consumers and business users, identifying any gaps in provision.
- Liaise with relevant agencies, OCC and SODC, to ascertain local strategies for car parking.
- Draft a document to be considered by the Steering group detailing research undertaken and including recommendations for resolution of the problems identified.
- To review alternative forms of transport to reduce the numbers of cars coming into the town.
A number of surveys have been undertaken to ascertain views on car parking in the town from visitors, residents and business users. The results of these surveys have been analysed to produce a report entitled ‘Parking for all’. The report has been presented to Thame Town Council including the following conclusions:
- Simplify visitor’s parking to 2 hours free
- Introduce better parking signage for drivers into Thame
- Identify dedicated business parking space
- Introduce a business parking permit system
- Expand the current residents parking permit system
- All recommendations and actions to be in place prior to decriminalisation in April 2008.
The Town Council has adopted some of the recommendations and is working on them.
Project 20 - Raise the awareness of waste reduction issues within the community; for example running Swap Shops and other waste recycling events.
Outcome - The group has set up as a CAG, Community Action Group, called Thame Waste Action Group (TWAG) and held a number of Swap Shops in the town at the Town Hall and
Project 21 – Promotion of the town whilst raising awareness of environmental issues.
Outcome – The ‘Bring your own bag’ campaign has been very successful. The Environment and Economy working groups have joined forces to produce an alternative to the plastic bag. A grant was secured from CAG, Community Action Groups, and 1000 jute bags were produced sporting the ‘Try Thame First’ logo, with the strap line ‘for a greener future’. The bags have been sold at outlets around the town and the majority are now in circulation.
A cotton bag is being produced, with sponsorship from local businesses, to be given free by independent retailers instead of plastic bags. Delivery is expected in June.
Project 22 – Organise specialist shopping experiences throughout the year.
Outcome – A French Market is came to Thame in April 2008 and we are looking to hold another market in November.
Project 23 – Market the restaurant, cafes and pubs.
Outcome – The Community/Social Working group have taken responsibility for the Thame Festival in the summer of 2008. Ideas to link with the Festival include a Food Festival and a Beer Festival, promoting the relevant outlets in the town. Details of the Food Festival are as follows:
Book-signing and demonstration at Aga Shop 11-1pm
Cargo Homeshop will be running a 20% off all cook and dining promotion during Festival week and will be open until 8pm on Friday 13th June
Stalls by local food producers around Town hall from 4-8pm including local celebrity cookery demonstrator Lotte Duncan
Hot food stalls to purchase supper and eat from tables located in front of the Town Hall, courtesy of Cargo Homeshop
Children’s Workshop by Beverley Glock, Times Children’s Foodwriter, in Town Hall from 4.30-7pm, www.splatcooking.net
Children’s Food competition in Town Hall judged by Sophie Grigson at 7pm.
Celebrity chef Sophie Grigson attending a book signing from 6-7pm in Town Hall
Fox FM megaslide outside Town Hall with Fox FM thunders promoting event.
Project 24 – Produce an Historic Town Trail
Outcome – A working group of volunteers from the Environment group have put together a Historic Town Trail for the Town, which should be available by mid-June, kindly funded by SODC. This is the first in a series of planned walks which will form the basis of a larger funding application, to include way-marking.
Project 25 - Encourage the Thame Festival to continue and create a memorable annual event
Outcome – 21st Century Thame is the lead organisation for the Thame Festival 2008, ably supported by Thame Lions, rotary Club and Roundtable. The Parade and Fete will take place as normal with a Community Radio Station running from 31.5.08 – 20.6.08, Thame FM 87.9FM, and a Rock Night in the Upper High Street car park from 4-10pm on the Saturday evening, kindly sponsored by Robin and Dwina Gibb.
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